Etching method, gate etching method, and method of manufacturing semiconductor devices

ABSTRACT

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a dummy sample and an actual device are prepared. The dummy sample and the actual device have substantially an identical layer and an identical resist pattern formed on the layer. Then, a dummy discharge is carried out. The layer and the resist patter of the dummy sample are etched in an etching device so that the layer and the resist pattern of the dummy device are simultaneously slimmed. Finally, the layer and the resist patter of the actual device are etched in the etching device after the etching of the dummy sample so that the layer and the resist pattern of the actual device are simultaneously slimmed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a manufacturing process ofsemiconductor devices, and more specifically to an etching method, agate etching method, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductordevice.

2. Description of the Related Art

The demands for higher-speed and power-thriftier semiconductor devicesare promoting finer design rules of semiconductor devices steady.Dimensional control values for each step have been often setapproximately at actual dimensions ±10% heretofore. However, as thedesign rules become finer remarkably, required manufacturing accuraciesbecome stricter.

Particularly to a gate manufacturing step, especially strict requestshave been made because the accuracies in the gate manufacturing step arelinked to the performance of transistors and consequently associatedwith the ability of all the LSIs to a large extent. The gate size of adevice, which has been developed heretofore, is approximately 50-100 nm.Considering a control range of the gate to be ±10%, a dimensionalcontrol value is expressed as ±5-10 nm. The higher the accuracy is, thebetter the accuracy is, of course.

Further, it is difficult to achieve currently required dimensions onlyby the lithography. Accordingly, techniques of slimming (reducing inwidth) a resist pattern by plasma etching before processing a gatematerial are commonly adopted. The techniques can be roughly classifiedas methods by which only a resist is slimmed; or methods by which aresist and a resist-underlying films, i.e. an organic film located underthe resist, are slimmed simultaneously. In a method of slimming only aresist, a conventional ashing apparatus is utilized to carry outisotropic etching using oxygen (O₂) plasma. However, the method hasdifficulty in addressing a thinner resist because the resist is etchednot only from the side but also from above. Therefore, a method ofsimultaneously slimming a resist and an organic film located under theresist mainly has been often used as disclosed in Japanese unexaminedpublished patent application JP-A-09-237777.

In general, it is a custom in many etching processes to carry out dummydischarge using a Si-substrate before plasma etching to improve thereproducibility and stability of the processes. Further, depending on aplasma etching system, cleaning discharge for cleaning within theetching system for each etching process can be performed.

Because a gate-slimming step by plasma etching is an important stepinfluencing device characteristics, both the cleaning discharge anddummy discharge using a Si-substrate are often carried out.

It is also proposed to etch a dummy wafer, which has the samecharacteristics as those of a semiconductor wafer to be etched, byplasma etching in order to ensure stable states of etchingcharacteristics immediately after cleaning discharge, as disclosed inJapanese unexamined published patent application JP-A-06-084851.

However, it has been understood that only the cleaning discharge and thedummy discharge using a Si-substrate can not address the requirementsfor dimensional accuracies, which are becoming increasingly stricter,because of difficulties in reproducibility and stability thereof in thecase of using the foregoing method of slimming process.

FIG. 7 is a graph for explaining problems in the related art, in whichthree arbitrary isolated patterns are indicated by measurement points A,B, and C, and the horizontal and vertical axes represent numbers of theprocessing order and conversion differences (=a lithographic size minusan etching size) respectively.

The conversion difference is a sum of dimensional differences whenslimming a resist-underlying film and when processing a gate materialunder the resist-underlying film. The presence of variations in theconversion difference means that conversion differences in etchingchange actual sizes widely even if lithographic sizes are preciselyequivalent.

As a result, a dimensional accuracy becomes lower and variations in gatesize arise even in the same lot, whereby the characteristics oftransistors widely change from wafer to wafer.

Further, in the case where discharge is carried out using a dummy waferhaving the same characteristics as those of a wafer to be etched, it isutilized that depositing reaction products, which are composed of thesame components as those of a wafer to be etched, on the inside of anetching system causes etching characteristics to be moved into stableregions thereof.

In this case, it is necessary to remove only reaction products of aresist as contaminations by carrying out plasma cleaning becausereaction products of the resist are deposited on the inside of theetching system when the dummy wafer has a resist pattern formed thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of the presentinvention, a dummy sample and an actual device are prepared. The dummysample and the actual device have substantially an identical layer andan identical resist pattern formed on the layer. Then, a dummy dischargeis carried out. The layer and the resist pattern of the dummy sample areetched in an etching device so that the layer and the resist pattern ofthe dummy device are simultaneously slimmed. Finally, the layer and theresist pattern of the actual device are etched in the etching deviceafter the etching of the dummy sample so that the layer and the resistpattern of the actual device are simultaneously slimmed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the manufacturing steps of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the manufacturing steps of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing variations in conversion difference;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a third embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a graph for explaining problems in the related art.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a first embodimentof the invention.

In Flow F11, cleaning discharge for cleaning an atmosphere within aplasma etching system is carried out as in the case of the related art.For example, in the case where an organic film is deposited on an innerwall of the system and the like, an oxygen gas having a tendency toremove organic films is introduced to induce discharge and thereby toremove the organic film.

In Flow F12, dummy discharge for making the atmosphere within theetching system the same as that in another etching step to be performedthereafter is carried out as in the case of the related art.

In other words, plasma etching is carried out by inducing dischargeunder the same conditions as a later etching conditions using asemiconductor substrate such as a Si-substrate.

More specifically, the plasma etching is carried out by loading aSi-substrate into the system, introducing an etching gas, applyingacross electrodes with an RF power, and inducing discharge.

In Flow F13, a dummy process, in which a resist pattern and aresist-underlying film simultaneously undergo a slimming process byplasma etching, is carried out using a dummy sample having the samestructure, i.e. same layered structure, and the same resist pattern asthose of an actual device.

The resist-underlying film is an organic film underlying the resistpattern as in the case of the related art. Further, a technique forperforming a simultaneously-slimming process in itself has been knownconventionally.

More specifically, the plasma etching is isotropically carried out byloading a dummy sample into the system, introducing an etching gas, andinducing discharge.

In Flow F14, on a semiconductor wafer having a resist pattern for anactual device formed thereon, the resist pattern and resist-underlyingfilm are simultaneously subjected to a slimming process by plasmaetching. Namely, what is called a regular process is carried out in thisstep.

It is important here to carry out the dummy process using a dummy samplewith a resist pattern before performing a regularsimultaneously-slimming process.

The dummy process conditions are the same as those of the regularslimming process to be carried out later.

It is also important to use a sample having a resist pattern as a dummysample, in which the presence of a resist region is a requirement.

In a conventional case, the reaction products of a resist are removed ascontaminations because of utilizing the reaction products of an etchedfilm. On the other hand, the invention utilizes the reaction products ofa resist positively. More specifically, the invention ensures theimprovements of the stability of etching characteristics and dimensionalaccuracies by causing a deposition film, which is made of a resisthaving high reactivity to an etching gas such as oxygen in the dummyprocess, to be deposited stably on an inner wall of the system.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, both are views showing the steps in thefirst embodiment. The drawings illustrate an example where the firstembodiment is applied to a gate process.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, a cleaning step is carried out for cleaningthe inside of the plasma etching system by the cleaning discharge inFlow F11 of FIG. 1.

Second, a Si-substrate indicated by the numeral 20 is carried into thesystem, followed by introducing oxygen into the system, as described inFlow F12, to carry out the dummy discharge for causing the gas todischarge. After that, the Si-substrate is unloaded out of the system.

The numeral 21 indicates a cross section of a dummy sample having thesame structure as that an actual device has. In the dummy sample areformed a gate insulating film 2 over a Si-substrate 1, a gate material 3of polysilicon (poly-Si) on the insulating film, a resist-underlyingfilm 4 of an organic film on the poly-Si layer, and a resist pattern 5on the resist-underlying film.

The dummy sample is carried into the system, and subjected to thesimultaneously-slimming process of the resist pattern 5 and theresist-underlying film 4 by plasma etching in the step of the dummyprocess described in Flow F13. The dummy sample is thereafter unloadedout of the system.

The numeral 22 in FIG. 3 indicates a cross section of a semiconductorwafer having a resist pattern for an actual device formed thereon, andthe same structure as that the dummy sample has. The semiconductor waferis carried into the system, and subjected to the simultaneously-slimmingprocess of the resist pattern 5 and the resist-underlying film 4 throughplasma etching.

After the slimming step, as indicated by the numeral 23, the resistpattern 5 is subjected to a slimming process isotropically by plasmaetching to provide a resist pattern 51.

In addition, the resist-underlying film 4 under the resist pattern 51 isnarrowed in width and exposed portions of the resist-underlying film 4are removed.

After that, the gate material 3 is subjected to gate etching by theknown plasma etching using the resist pattern 51 as a mask, whereby agate 31 is formed as indicated by the numeral 24. In ashing and cleaningsteps, the remaining resist pattern 51 and resist-underlying film 4 areremoved to provide the gate 31 in the form indicated by the numeral 25.

Referring now to FIG. 4, in which variations in conversion differenceare expressed by 3σ. In the drawing, measurement points A, B, and C arethree arbitrary isolated patterns, and vertical and horizontal axesrepresent the number of processed samples and the value of 3σ,respectively.

The data of first to fourth samples on the horizontal axis areequivalent to the data before introducing the dummy process as in thecase of the related art. The values of 3σ at the individual measurementpoints are in the range of 9-10 nm.

The data of second to fifth samples indicate the data in the case ofintroducing the dummy process for one sample. The values of 3σ at theindividual measurement points are in the range of 4-6 nm. Further, thedata of third to sixth samples represent the data in the case ofintroducing the dummy process for two samples. The values of 3σ at theindividual measurement points are in the range of 2-6 nm.

Therefore, it is understood that the values of 3σ in the case ofintroducing the dummy process for one to two samples are reduced toabout one-half of the values in the case before introducing the dummyprocess.

In general, the plasma gate-etching step using a slimming technique isroughly divided into the steps of: slimming an organic film, i.e. aresist-underlying film; and etching a gate material. In the gatemanufacturing step, which requires extremely precise processing, amethod of detecting an end of the etching with light emissionintensities is commonly used. The final detection time thereof can be akind of monitoring means, by which an etching situation can be observedin real time.

Accordingly, monitoring changes in detected time from time to timeenables the observation of changes in etching condition. The detectiontimes in the individual steps are listed in Table 1.

TABLE 1 End-of-etching End-of-etching detection time detection time (Sidummy: (Si dummy: Used) Not used Under- Under- lying Gate lying Gatefilm material film material Procedural steps etching etching etchingetching 1 discharge for cleaning done done done done 2 Si dummydischarge done done not not done done 3 Slimming 1st sample 17 sec 73sec 17 sec 75 sec 4 2nd sample 17 sec 71 sec 17 sec 71 sec 5 3rd sample17 sec 71 sec 17 sec 71 sec 6 4th sample 17 sec 71 sec — — 7 5th sample17 sec 71 sec — — 8 6th sample 17 sec 71 sec — —

The detection times are constant in the step of slimming an organic filmby plasma etching, whereas the detection times in the step of etching agate material with plasma do not become stable until a second sample.

The change in end-of-etching detection time in the case of notperforming the Si dummy discharge are also listed in the table. Theend-of-etching detection times in the case of etching an organic filmare fixed at 17 sec, whereas the detection times in the step of etchinga gate material reach 75 sec for the first sample and 71 sec for secondand later samples.

From the above data, a normal value of a time for etching a gatematerial is expected to be 71 seconds. To make the gate material etchingtime closer to the normal value, it is important to carry out theslimming process using a dummy sample having a resist pattern as a firstsample. This is exceedingly effective to make the process stable.

As stated above, according to the first embodiment, carrying out thedummy process using a dummy sample with a resist pattern can reducevariations in conversion difference in plasma etching and thereforereduce variations in size to ensure the improvement of dimensionalaccuracies.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the invention.

The second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1 except Flow F23, and hence only Flow F23 is described and therest are omitted.

A dummy sample used in Flow F23 has an etched film of the same materialas the one that an actual device has, and an arbitrary resist pattern.

The etched film refers to all the films etched in the etching step suchas a gate material, a gate insulating film, and an anti-reflection film.

Using the dummy sample, a dummy process, by which the resist pattern andthe resist-underlying film are slimmed simultaneously, is carried out.

In general, gate structures vary from device to device to no smallextent. The dissimilarities are film thicknesses, impurity implantationdensities, materials, etc. Of course, devices differ in mask usedtherefor, the presence or absence of an anti-reflection film, resistpattern density and thickness, etc.

However, if only making a dummy sample identical in film composition,i.e. materials of etched films, to an actual device, carrying out thedummy process enables the variations in gate size to be reduced evenwhen the film thicknesses and impurity doses of gate materials as wellas resist patterns vary from device to device.

For example, in the case of a certain device of single-layer structurewith a 150 nm-thick poly-Si film, which has been implanted withimpurities at a density of about 1e15/cm³, a single-layer structurehaving a 200 nm-thick poly-Si film implanted with no impurities may beused as a dummy sample. In this case, the time involved in producing adummy sample can be reduced because of no implantation. When there is ananti-reflection film, such as organic BARC and SiON, it is required tomake the dummy sample identical in the material to the device.

As stated above, according to the second embodiment, an arbitrary resistpattern may be used in addition to the advantages of the firstembodiment, which eliminates the need for using different dummy samplesfrom device to device. Consequently, producing dummy samples patternedwith one mask can serve the purpose, so that the advantage ofsimplifying the production of dummy samples can be obtained.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the third embodiment of the invention.

The third embodiment is the same as the first embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1 except Flow F33, and hence only Flow F33 is described and therest are omitted.

A dummy sample to be used in Flow F33 has been coated with a resist. Inother words, the dummy sample has a resist pattern over the wholesurface.

Using the dummy sample, a dummy process, in which etching is conductedunder the same conditions as those of the slimming process, is carriedout.

As described on the first embodiment, in the case where the dummy samplehas a resist region, a deposition film formed from an etching gas andthe resist is deposited on the inner wall of the system stably.Therefore, there is no problem even with a resist pattern on the entiresurface. Further, if anything, patterning is not required, which willcontribute to the simplification of steps correspondingly.

As stated above, according to the third embodiment, a dummy sample withan entire surface resist pattern enables the reuse of the dummy samplein addition to the advantages of the second embodiment, although it isimpossible to reproduce a dummy sample because a gate pattern istransferred through the dummy process in the first and secondembodiments.

Now, a fourth embodiment of the invention will be described.

In general, corrosive gases, such as Cl₂ and HBr, are often used toprocess poly-Si, WSi, and the like, which are frequently used as a gatematerial.

Although a discharging gas for etching has not been specified in thethird embodiment, the etching conditions are set so that a discharginggas used in the step of the dummy process includes no corrosive gasessuch as Cl₂ and HBr in the fourth embodiment.

For example, necessary conditions in the case of a poly-Si gate(HBr/O₂=100/3 sccm; 8 mTorr; TopRF=250 W; and BottomRF=30 W) may bereplaced with improvement conditions (He/CF₄=100/20 sccm; 15 mTorr;TopRF=250 W; and BottomRF=30 W).

Thus setting the condition of including no corrosive gases as a processcondition for the step of the dummy process prevents a resist coatedover the whole surface thereof from taking in corrosive gases, so thatthe corrosion of a transfer chamber and a load-lock chamber can beminimized.

As stated above, according to the fourth embodiment, the corrosion ofcomponents within a plasma etching system can be suppressed in additionto the advantages of the third embodiment, thereby increasing thelifetime of the system. Further, the fourth embodiment of the inventionis useful in view of the environments because the corrosive gas does notescape into the atmosphere.

As stated above, according to the invention, a dummy sample having aresist region is subjected to the dummy process, so that variations insize in the etching process can be reduced to ensure the improvement ofdimensional accuracies.

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:preparing a dummy sample and an actual device both of which havesubstantially an identical layer and an identical resist pattern formedon the layer; carrying out a dummy discharge in an etching device;etching the layer and the resist pattern of the dummy sample in theetching device, so as to simultaneously slim the layer and the resistpattern of the dummy sample; and etching the layer and the resistpattern of the actual device in the etching device after the etching ofthe dummy sample, so as to simultaneously slim the layer and the resistpattern of the actual device.
 2. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the dummy dischargeincludes: providing a silicon substrate in the etching device;introducing an etching gas into the etching device; and applying an RFpower to the etching device so as to etch the silicon substrate.
 3. Amethod of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1,wherein conditions of the dummy sample etching and the actual deviceetching are substantially identical.
 4. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein conditions of thedummy discharge, the dummy sample etching and the actual device etchingare substantially identical.
 5. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a deposition filmmade of a material of the resist pattern is deposited on an inner wallof the etching device.
 6. A method of manufacturing a semiconductordevice according to claim 1, wherein the dummy sample includes a gateinsulating film formed on a substrate, a gate material film formed onthe gate insulating film, and organic layer formed on the gate materialfilm, and the resist pattern formed on the organic layer, and whereinthe actual device includes a gate insulating film formed on a substrate,a gate material film formed on the gate insulating film, an organiclayer formed on the gate material film, and the resist pattern formed onthe organic layer.
 7. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor devicecomprising: preparing a plasma etching system; discharging within theplasma etching system to clean the plasma etching system; loading asemiconductor substrate into the plasma etching system; dischargingwithin the plasma etching system having the semiconductor substrateloaded therein; unloading the semiconductor substrate from and loading adummy wafer into the plasma etching system after said discharging withinthe plasma etching system having the semiconductor substrate loadedtherein, the dummy wafer including a wafer substrate, aresist-underlying film formed on the wafer substrate and a resistpattern formed on the resist-underlying film; carrying out an etchingprocess on the dummy wafer within the plasma etching system, so that theresist pattern of the dummy water and the resist-underlying film of thedummy wafer are slimmed; unloading the etched dummy wafer from andloading a semiconductor wafer into the plasma etching system, thesemiconductor wafer including a wafer substrate, a resist-underlyingfilm formed on the wafer substrate and a resist pattern formed on theresist-underlying film; and carrying out an etching process on thesemiconductor wafer within the plasma etching system, so that the resistpattern of the semiconductor wafer, and the resist-underlying film ofthe semiconductor wafer are slimmed.
 8. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the semiconductorsubstrate is a silicon substrate.
 9. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein said discharging toclean is performed in an oxygen gas atmosphere.
 10. A method ofmanufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein bothof said carrying out etching processes are performed in an etching gasatmosphere while applying an RF power.
 11. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the semiconductorwafer includes a semiconductor device substrate, a gate insulation layerformed on the semiconductor device substrate and a gate electrode layerformed on the gate insulation layer.
 12. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 7, further comprising: etchingthe semiconductor wafer using the slimmed resist pattern of thesemiconductor wafer and the slimmed resist-underlying film of thesemiconductor wafer as a mask; and removing the slimmed resist patternof the semiconductor wafer and the slimmed resist-underlying film of thesemiconductor wafer.
 13. A method of manufacturing a semiconductordevice according to claim 12, wherein said removing is performed byashing and cleaning.
 14. A method of manufacturing a semiconductordevice comprising: preparing a plasma etching system; cleaning theplasma etching system by discharging within the plasma etching system;loading a semiconductor substrate into the plasma etching system;etching the semiconductor substrate by discharging within the plasmaetching system; unloading the etched semiconductor substrate from andloading a dummy wafer into the plasma etching system, the dummy waferincluding a wafer substrate, a resist-underlying film formed on thewafer substrate and a resist pattern formed on the resist-underlyingfilm; etching the dummy wafer by discharging within the plasma etchingsystem, so that the resist pattern of the dummy wafer andresist-underlying film of the dummy wafer are slimmed; unloading theetched dummy wafer from and loading a semiconductor wafer into theplasma etching system, the semiconductor wafer having a same structureas the dummy wafer; and etching the semiconductor wafer by dischargingwithin the plasma etching system, so that the resist pattern and theresist-underlying film formed on the semiconductor wafer are slimmed.15. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim14, wherein the semiconductor substrate is a silicon substrate.
 16. Amethod of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14,wherein said cleaning is performed in an oxygen gas atmosphere.
 17. Amethod of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14,wherein said etching the dummy wafer and said etching the semiconductorwafer are performed in an etching gas atmosphere while applying an RFpower.
 18. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according toclaim 14, wherein the semiconductor wafer includes a semiconductordevice substrate, a gate insulation layer formed on the semiconductordevice substrate and a gate electrode layer formed on the gateinsulation layer.
 19. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor deviceaccording to claim 14, further comprising: etching the semiconductorwafer using the slimmed resist pattern of the semiconductor wafer andthe slimmed resist-underlying film the semiconductor wafer as a mask;and removing the slimmed resist pattern of the semiconductor wafer andthe slimmed resist-underlying film of the semiconductor wafer.
 20. Amethod of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 19,wherein the said removing is performed by ashing and cleaning.